These cinnamon roll balls are everything you love about cinnamon rolls, with half the effort. Soft, pillowy dough coated in a rich cinnamon brown sugar butter, baked until golden, and finished with a classic cream cheese glaze — they’re basically impossible to resist.
Cinnamon rolls are probably one of the most craved desserts in the world. There’s something about warm, fluffy dough drenched in cinnamon butter and topped with cream cheese frosting that just feels like a hug. Comforting, indulgent, and honestly a little magical.
But let’s be honest, most of the time, no one wants to spend hours filling, rolling, and cutting dough, even when the craving hits hard. I’ve been there more times than I can count, which is exactly how these cinnamon roll balls (aka “Lazy Cinnamon Rolls”) came to life.
The concept is simple: instead of rolling and cutting the dough into traditional cinnamon rolls, you pull it into rough balls, dip each one into a buttery cinnamon sugar mixture, stack them in a pan, and bake. The result? Each ball tastes like eating the very center of a cinnamon roll — which, as we all know, is the absolute best part.
Before You Start
I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. A kitchen scale is the most reliable way to bake accurately. Cups can vary wildly depending on how you scoop, which affects the final result. If you don’t have a scale yet, I’d really encourage you to grab one before starting. If that’s not possible, you can use an online gram-to-cup converter, but please note that I can’t guarantee the accuracy of those measurements.
What You’ll Need
For the Cinnamon Rolls
An enriched dough, meaning it has a higher fat content than a basic bread dough, which gives you that ultra-soft, pillowy texture. I recommend making this in a stand mixer with a dough hook. It can be kneaded by hand, but it takes a lot of time and effort, and the stand mixer does a much better job.
Want more details on the dough? I’ve written a full, step-by-step cinnamon roll dough guide with all my tips and tricks. Check it out if you want a deeper dive.
For the Cinnamon Roll Butter
A simple mix of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt. This is what you’ll dip each dough ball into, and it’s also what creates those gorgeous caramelised layers.
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
The classic finishing touch – buttery, tangy, and sweet. Don’t skip it.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Balls
Making the Dough
Warm the milk to lukewarm and dissolve the yeast in it. Add this mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer along with the butter, sugar, salt, egg, and flour. Knead with the dough hook for 10–15 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
To check if the dough is ready, tear off a small piece and gently stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough to let light pass through without tearing, the gluten is well developed, and your dough is good to go. If it tears, keep kneading.
First Proof
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and leave it to rest for 60–90 minutes until it has nearly doubled in size. While it proofs, go ahead and make the cinnamon butter — it comes together in minutes.
Shaping & Second Proof
Once risen, punch the dough down to release the air. Divide it into small, rough balls, about 25 grams each if you want to be precise, or just go by eye. Dip each ball into the cinnamon butter and layer them into a round pan, continuing until all the dough is used. Pour any remaining cinnamon butter over the top, cover with cling film, and let the shaped dough rise again for 45 minutes.
Baking & Serving
Preheat your oven to 170°C. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the tops are deep golden and the dough is cooked through. Place a plate over the top of the pan and carefully flip it to release the balls, then pour the cream cheese glaze generously over the top while everything is still warm. Serve immediately, or reheat before serving.
Tips for Success
- Getting the yeast right: Make sure your milk is genuinely lukewarm, not hot. Hot liquid will kill the yeast and the dough won’t rise. Aim for around 37–40°C. It should feel warm but comfortable against your wrist.
- The windowpane test: Don’t skip this step. It’s the most reliable way to know your dough has been kneaded enough. If the dough tears instead of stretching thin, give it a few more minutes in the mixer.
- Sticky dough: Some stickiness early on is normal. Resist the urge to add more flour too soon; keep kneading, and it should smooth out. If it’s still very sticky after 10 minutes, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
- Knowing when they’re baked: The tops should be a deep golden brown and feel firm when gently pressed. If you’re unsure, a thermometer inserted into the centre should read around 90°C.
- Getting a clean flip: Let the pan sit for about 5 minutes before flipping; this gives the caramelised butter a moment to settle slightly so it releases more cleanly.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: You can prepare the dough and shape the balls the night before. After placing them in the pan for the second proof, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight instead of letting them rise at room temperature. The next morning, take them out and let them come to room temperature for 30–45 minutes before baking.
- Storing leftovers: Store any leftover cinnamon roll balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: These are best served warm. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 20–30 seconds, or pop the whole batch (covered with foil) in the oven at 100°C for about 8 minutes.
- Freezing: Yes, these freeze well! Once baked and cooled, freeze without the glaze in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven before adding fresh glaze.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make cinnamon roll balls without a stand mixer?
Yes, but be prepared for a workout. The dough is enriched and quite soft, so kneading by hand will take at least 20 minutes. It’s doable, just more effort. - Why didn’t my dough rise?
The most common reason is that the yeast was killed by liquid that was too hot, or the yeast was old and no longer active. Always check your yeast’s expiry date, and make sure the milk is only lukewarm, not hot. - Can I add other fillings?
Absolutely. A handful of chopped pecans or walnuts added between the layers is a delicious addition. - Do I have to flip the pan?
Flipping gives you that beautiful caramelised top (which technically becomes the bottom), similar to a monkey bread or sticky bun effect. If you’d rather not flip, you can serve them directly from the pan, just know the base will be more caramelised than the top.
Cinnamon Roll Balls
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook and whisk attachment
- Hand whisk
- 8" round baking dish
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- 92 grams granulated white sugar
- 78 grams unsalted butter softened
- 7 grams salt
- 1 large egg
- 454 grams all-purpose flour
- 6 grams instant yeast
- 255 grams full-fat milk lukewarm
Cinnamon Butter
- 100 grams unsalted butter
- 60 grams brown sugar
- 20 grams cinnamon powder
- 1/4 th tsp sea salt
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 120 grams cream cheese
- 55 grams unsalted butter softened
- 120 grams powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions
Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Warm the milk to lukewarm, then stir in the yeast and set aside.
- Add the yeast mixture to a stand mixer along with the butter, sugar, salt, egg, and flour. Knead with the dough hook for 10–15 minutes until you get a smooth, non-sticky dough.
- Test the dough by stretching a small piece between your fingers; it should be thin enough to see light through without tearing. If it tears, continue kneading.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and leave to proof for 60-90 minutes until nearly doubled. Use this time to prepare the cinnamon butter.
- Once proofed, knock back the dough to release the air. Divide into small balls of roughly 25 grams each, or go by eye.
- Dip each ball into the cinnamon butter and layer them into a round pan until all the dough is used up.
- Pour any remaining cinnamon butter over the top, cover, and let rise for another 45 minutes.
- Bake at 170°C for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Invert onto a plate to release, then drizzle with the cream cheese glaze while still warm. Best served hot or reheated before eating.
Cinnamon Butter
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt in a bowl and melt together. Whisk until the sugar is fully incorporated.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Add the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla to a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth and creamy.
Notes
If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear how it went. Drop a comment below and let me know! And if you share it on Instagram, tag me so I can see yours. Enjoy!
